I am a female, currently 150lbs, 5'4" (down from 210....was 140 but winter came along..oops!!lol) and training with a target weight of : 112 or 119.
After years of messing around doing crash diets and totally bizarre quick-fix training routines I have come to believe totally that there are no quick fixes....I'm pretty good at getting thru the cardio (I exercise with a heart rate monitor and stay between the 60 to 80% exertion zone, apart from in my running training,where I rate just under 90% for the duration of the run... at one point I regularly did 1hr + a day cardio, just for the love of it, usually elliptical cross trainer....but still didnt lose weight due to the diet issue)
Anyway, now I'm finally ready to get serious, with sound eating habits...(much easier in sweltering summer than the -20 degree winters). A friend of mine said I would find no results without weight training, which has kinda been right as far as I can see so my current routine has been changed so it's as follows:
Mon to Fri...am 20 mins cycle to work (varied level road terrain)
...afternoon 20 mins cycle home (burns 200cal each 20 mins)
...this will never change, i use the cycle as my primary mode of transport
Every other day I have recently added a new dimension by trying to incorporate weight training....I go to the gym for at least an hour,
the first 15 mins is treadmill running to warm up my muscles and because, being really bad at all sports throughout my entire life I figured now is the time to step up and master the one thing I hated my whole life....running, (which I am quickly learning to love)
The next 30 mins I go round the weight machines, doing the max weight I can lift for 10-15 reps each. I dont really have a break between machines, to save time, but alternate working on a leg machine or an ab machine with one for chest or arms..I do each machine once, figuring arms get a break while the legs work etc. till it hurts too much, sometimes going back for a second round on the stuff that isnt hurting too bad at the time..
The cool down after is a nice 15 or more minute relaxed swim, breaststroke is my fave.
I dont get aches afterward, so it seems the swimming is enough of a relaxed 'stretch' but am wondering if I have scheduled in enough weights, or the right kind...I also HATE doing weights, I have to really force myself to do the whole 30 mins coz I find it boring and painful, even with an Ipod. I cant find a workout partner as I live in south korea and dont speak Korean, so that one is out!! So do I absolutely HAVE to do them, or are there different things I can do for amazing results? I'm prepared to incorporate them into my life if they are the best or only way to get the results I want, but just wanna check here first.
Also am I doing the weights the right way? I'm only trying to gain tone and muscle to boost metabolism....my upper body strength is AWFUL (hard to do ten pushups, no non-assisted chinups) I have huge calves already (was an avid horserider as a kid) and big bones in my shoulders so really want to get a more slender but still buff physique, not bulk up too much, hence the running and swimming as part of the routine...i figured if you run enough for long enough you get a runners body, swim enough for long enough a swimmer's body etc.
Should i do more reps with less weight, so it doesnt hurt so much while doing it, but meaning i can go longer or change the routine completely so i dont run before, or run on a different day or is there cardio i can do that will still have the same benefits?
Also if I HAVE to do weights to get the result I want does anyone have any tips to get me to learn to LOVE weights, like i love my cardio??
Am I doing enough weights coz its only been just over a week and other than the first day I havent expereinced ANY next day soreness whatsoever...I thought the whole point of the soreness next day was to show you did enough work to rip then expand the muscle.
Any help will be greatly appreciated...
Cheers guys,
Kat
After years of messing around doing crash diets and totally bizarre quick-fix training routines I have come to believe totally that there are no quick fixes....I'm pretty good at getting thru the cardio (I exercise with a heart rate monitor and stay between the 60 to 80% exertion zone, apart from in my running training,where I rate just under 90% for the duration of the run... at one point I regularly did 1hr + a day cardio, just for the love of it, usually elliptical cross trainer....but still didnt lose weight due to the diet issue)
Anyway, now I'm finally ready to get serious, with sound eating habits...(much easier in sweltering summer than the -20 degree winters). A friend of mine said I would find no results without weight training, which has kinda been right as far as I can see so my current routine has been changed so it's as follows:
Mon to Fri...am 20 mins cycle to work (varied level road terrain)
...afternoon 20 mins cycle home (burns 200cal each 20 mins)
...this will never change, i use the cycle as my primary mode of transport
Every other day I have recently added a new dimension by trying to incorporate weight training....I go to the gym for at least an hour,
the first 15 mins is treadmill running to warm up my muscles and because, being really bad at all sports throughout my entire life I figured now is the time to step up and master the one thing I hated my whole life....running, (which I am quickly learning to love)
The next 30 mins I go round the weight machines, doing the max weight I can lift for 10-15 reps each. I dont really have a break between machines, to save time, but alternate working on a leg machine or an ab machine with one for chest or arms..I do each machine once, figuring arms get a break while the legs work etc. till it hurts too much, sometimes going back for a second round on the stuff that isnt hurting too bad at the time..
The cool down after is a nice 15 or more minute relaxed swim, breaststroke is my fave.
I dont get aches afterward, so it seems the swimming is enough of a relaxed 'stretch' but am wondering if I have scheduled in enough weights, or the right kind...I also HATE doing weights, I have to really force myself to do the whole 30 mins coz I find it boring and painful, even with an Ipod. I cant find a workout partner as I live in south korea and dont speak Korean, so that one is out!! So do I absolutely HAVE to do them, or are there different things I can do for amazing results? I'm prepared to incorporate them into my life if they are the best or only way to get the results I want, but just wanna check here first.
Also am I doing the weights the right way? I'm only trying to gain tone and muscle to boost metabolism....my upper body strength is AWFUL (hard to do ten pushups, no non-assisted chinups) I have huge calves already (was an avid horserider as a kid) and big bones in my shoulders so really want to get a more slender but still buff physique, not bulk up too much, hence the running and swimming as part of the routine...i figured if you run enough for long enough you get a runners body, swim enough for long enough a swimmer's body etc.
Should i do more reps with less weight, so it doesnt hurt so much while doing it, but meaning i can go longer or change the routine completely so i dont run before, or run on a different day or is there cardio i can do that will still have the same benefits?
Also if I HAVE to do weights to get the result I want does anyone have any tips to get me to learn to LOVE weights, like i love my cardio??
Am I doing enough weights coz its only been just over a week and other than the first day I havent expereinced ANY next day soreness whatsoever...I thought the whole point of the soreness next day was to show you did enough work to rip then expand the muscle.
Any help will be greatly appreciated...
Cheers guys,
Kat